Prewelt lasting machine



' S'ph 15, 1936. w. KAUT PREWELT LAsTING MACHINE' Filed'Feb.' 9, 1955 '4 4 sheets-sheet 1 55155151936. l w. KAU'T 2,054,545

' v PREWELT LAr's-TING MACHINE- FiledFeb. 9, 1.935 4 sheets-sheet 2 Sept. 15, 1936. w. KAUT PREWELT LASTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 9, 1935 Sept. l5, 1936. w. KAUT PREWELT LASTING MAHINE Filed Feb. 9, '1933 l4 sheets-smet@ Patented Sept. 15, 1936 PREWELT LASTING MACHINE William Kant, University City, Mo., assignor to Brown Shoe Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of New York Application February 9, 1933, Serial No. 655,895

13 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of lasting shoes and more particularly to a pre-welt shoe, that is to say, a shoe in which a welt is stitched to the upper before lasting.

An object of this invention is to provide a machine which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture and convenient in operation, and which will eiciently form a shoe upper of the character described over a. last, to produce a neatly formed and finished shoe.

Another object of this invention is to provide a machine of the character described having acljustments which will permit forming of shoes having a variety of different relationships between the toe and the heel, that is to say, means for adjustment to accommodate the toe swing, the heel elevation and the toe angle.

Another object of this invention is to provide a machine of the character described which will conveniently form that portion of the shoe corresponding to the arch of the foot.

VAnother object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character described having plates for performing the function described, some of which move toward a relatively xed plate and also have a lateral movement.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character described which will have means limiting the pressure applied to the shoe in such a manner as to prevent damage thereto during the operation.

Other and specific objects will be apparent from the following detail description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation.

Fig. 3 is a plan view.

Fig. 4 is a detail plan View partly in section.

Fig. 5 is a detail elevation.

Fig. 6 is a view of a shoe of a character for which the machine is adapted.

Before attempting a detail description of the machine, a short general description may first be made in order to give an outline'of the machine and its method of operation. A frame supports a toe engaging plate, whose position is adjustable in several different respects with respect to heel positioning plates, which are supported for reciprocation on the frame of the machine. It is to be understood that the toe plates and heel plates are adapted to engage in the recess formed by the welt and the upper at the welt seam, and by this engagement to form the upper neatly over the last. The heel forming plates, of which there are two, are carried by a slide mounted on the frame, which slide is movable toward and from the toe plate. The heel plates are also positioned and adapted to move laterally, like engaging jaws, and thus to grip that portion of the shoe corresponding to the arch of the foot.

With this general description in mind we may proceed with a description of the machine in detail and its operation.

A hollow pedestal I supports the machine and forms a frame. A bracket 2, which is adapted to support the toe forming plate, is mounted in the frame for vertical adjustment. 'Ihe front of the frame has vertical slideways 3 in its front portion completed by gib plates 4, secured to the frame by bolts 5. These slideways are adapted to receive wings 6 of the bracket 2. It will thus be seen that the bracket 2 is mounted for vertical adjustment in the frame.

The vertical adjustment of the bracket 2 is accomplished by a screw 1 having a hand Wheel 8 and threaded in a block 9 secured to the frame between the slideways 3. The upper end of the screw 'I bears against the bottom of that portion of the bracket 2 positioned in the vertical plane of the slideways 3. It will thus be seen that the bracket 2 is readily adjustable vertically with respect to the frame 2 and is otherwise firmly secured with respect to the frame.

'Ihe top portion of the bracket 2 is formed to provide a horizontal guide for a slide II adjustable along the bracket 2. This adjustment is secured by a screw shaft I2 having a hand wheel I3 adapted for manual engagement. The screw shaft I2 is journalled in the outer end of the bracket 2. The screw shaft I2 engages a threaded lug I6 which is preferably of bronze and secured to the bottom portion of the slide II. Thus, the slide II may be readily adjusted horizontally with respect to the frame I by turning the hand Wheel.,` I3.

A swivel plate II is pivoted by a screw I8 on the top face of the slide II. The plate I1 is thereby positioned for rotative adjustment and this adjustment is secured by screws I9, which pass through upstanding ribs on the swivel plate I'I, and are adapted to engage a pin 2|, secured to the slide I I and extending through an arcuate slot 22 in the swivel plate I'I. The screws I9 engage the ribs 20 by a threaded connection and may be locked in proper adjustment by lock nutsl 23 respectively.

The swivel plate I1 has upstanding lugs 24 integral with it and to which a block 25 is pivotally connected by a pin 26. 'I'he block 25; has

a lug 21 at its outer end threaded to receive an adjusting screw 28 which bears against the top face of the swivel plate |1.

The block 25 has a socket to receive the bottom end of a post 29 which may be secured in position by a set screw 3. The post 29 supports a toe forming plate 3| in a manner which will hereafter be described.

Now, assuming that heel forming plates, complementary to each other and supplementary to the plate 3|, will be supported for reciprocation in a fixed horizontal plane by the frame in a manner which will hereafter be described, and with the toe forming plate 3l secured to the top of the post 29 and rigid therewith, it will be observed that means have been provided whereby several dilerent adjustments may be made. The screw 1 may adjust the height of theV toe forming plate with respect to heel forming plates lll andk thereby the machine may be adjusted for a proper heel elevation; that is to say, the diiference in elevation of the plane of the heel of the shoe and of the plane ofthe toe of the shoe. The screw 2'8- is adapted to adjust the toe angle, that is, the plane of the toe with respect to the plane of the heel. The screws |9 adjust the machine for the toe swing, and since two adjustments are provided, this adjustment may be made for both left and right shoes, and thereby the same formingplates may be used for both shoes of a pair. That is to-say, when operation is being made on the right shoe the swivel plate |1 will be moved to the left, referring to Fig. 4, until the point of the right screw i9 contacts with the pin 2|. For operation on the left shoe, the swivel plate i1 will be swung to the right and until the point of the left screw i9 contacts the pin 2 i.

The toe forming plate 3| is supported by the post 29, upon a holder plate 32, which is in engagement with the post 29 and has a recess, forming a shoulder 33, against which the edge or edgesof the toe forming plate 3| is positioned. The top plate 34 is positionedover the holder plate 32? and secured thereto by screws 35. The toe forming plate 3| has anl edge 35 conforming to the contour of the toe of a particular shoe at the welt weam. It also has a hole to'receive a pin and thusY secure it to the plate holder 32. A toe plate securing member 38, including the pin to engage in the hole, in the forming plate 3|, is of the peculiar conformation as shown in Fig. l. It includesa stalk- 39 passing through holesin the plates 32 and 34 and into a proper socket in the top-of the post 29. An outwardly extending arm 40 is secured to the stalk 39 and passes through an appropriate slot in the end of the post 29. The outer end ofthe arm 4|lrcarries the pin 4| which passes-through-a hole in the supporting'plate 32-and into the hole in the toe plate 3|. Av spring 42: is inserted between the bottom of the stalk 39 and the bottom of the socket in the post 29;

From the description it will be obvious that a toe plate may be readily inserted in and removed from its position by pressingY downwardly on the member 38 and slidingthe plate into or out of position, as desired. To release the pin 4| from engagement. with the forming plate 3|, it is only necessary to applyv downward pressure on the stalk 39; .Y v

A detail description. of the heelforming parts, their supports and the operating mechanism in connection therewith, may now be given. As forecast, heel forming plates l0. are in pairs and adapted for. reciprocation in a horizontal plane at the top of the frame or pedestal toward and from the toe forming plate 3| in substantially the same horizontal plane, as well as for reciprocation relative to each other.

Thus, the heel forming plates l0, of which there are two, are mounted for movement in a horizontal plane toward the toe forming plate 3| and also for movement in an arcuate path toward each other, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 4. plate holder iii and these plates are mounted on a plate 2li), which is adapted to be reciprocated in a horizontal plane by means and upon mountings which will later be described in detail. A cover plate 43 is secured above the plate holders ||0 and to the bottom plate 2|El by screws 44. It will be understood that shims are provided between the plates 2|| and 43 to provide clearance for mechanism used to reciprocate the plate holder HEB in an arcuate path.

The plate holders ||0 are recessed, forming shoulders 45 against which the edges of the forming plates are positioned. Each forming plate Ill and plate holder |I10 is provided with holes in registry to receive a dowel pin 46 which has a shank 41 bearing against the walls of an arcuate slot 48 in the topfplate 43. The dowell pins 46 are releasably held in position by the spring member 59, secured to the plate assembly by a pin 5|. It will be understood that the'spring member 50 exerts a pressure downwardly on the dowel pins 45. The bottom plate 2|@ supports pins 52 which engage in arcuate slots 53 in the plate ||0 respectively, and the plate 2|!) similarly supports pins 54 which engage in arcuate slots 55 also in the plate holders H0. The arcuate slots 48 are concentric with the arcs described by the plate holders I9 respectively when moved and as restrained by the slots 53 and 55.

Each of the plate holders l0 is pivotally connected at its rear end with a link 60. The links 60 are connected at their rear ends and to/one end of a link 6| by a pin 62. The other end of the link 6| is pivotally connected to one end of a manually operable lever 63, which is pivotally connected to the plate 2 0 by a pin 64. The lever 63 has a pawl 65 adapted to engage a ratchet 66, which is secured to the bottom plate 2|0'. It will now be seen that by movement of the lever 63 the heel forming plates l0 will be moved in arcuate paths as determined by the slots 53-55. It will also be seen that the pawl 65. and ratchet 66 will releasably latch the plates l0 in engaging position.

We may now describe the mounting of the bot` tom plate 2|0 with its assembly and the mechanism for operating it whereby it may be reciprocated in a horizontal plane toward and from the toe forming plate 3|. The bottom plate 2|!! together with its assembly is secured to a blockV 1|),V which is constructed and adaptedV to slide in ways 1|, formed at the top of the pedestal or frame The block 10 has side rails 12 forming guides for a slide 13, which reciprocates on the bottom side of the block 10. The rearward movement. of the slide 13 with respect to the block 10 is limited by a strip 14, secured to the block V1l) by screws 15, as shown in Fig. 5.' A rib 1B, integral with the block 10, has sockets 11 each of which is adapted to receive one end of a spring 18, the other end of which bears againstthe forward' endY of the slide 13,. in a recess19v formed in the forward face of the slide. It will'thus be seen that if force is applied to the slide 13,. the block.10,. together with the heel Each of the plates I0 is mounted in a forming plate assembly, will be driven through the springs 18 in a horizontal plane along the Vguideways 1| provided in the top of the frame toward the toe forming plate.3|. In its rearward .movement the slide 13 will directly engage the block 10 by the strip 14.

Toggle mechanism, comprising the links 80 and 8| and a push rod 82, secured together by a knee pin 83, is adapted to reciprocate the slide 13. The link 80 is attached at its upper end to lugs 84 which are integral with the slide 13. A spring 85 has one end secured to the frame and the other end secured to the knee pin 83. The push rod 82 has its lower end pivotally secured to a foot lever 86, which is pivoted to the frame I by a pin 81. The outer end of the link 8| is set to a shaft 88 which has a hand lever 89 secured to its outer end. The purpose of the lever 89 is to break the toggle when it is overthrown. The toggle is overthrown when upward pressure is applied to the bar 82 and, since the pressure exerted between the toe forming plate andthe heel forming plates is sufficient to overcome. the tension of the spring 85, the mechanism will be locked in position, but is releasable upon movement of the lever 89.

.Means are provided whereby the heel forming assembly engages the heel of the shoe by means other than the heel forming plates l0. In the absence of such mechanism, the pressure exerted by the heel plates l0 would be sufficient to scuff and to deform the shoe. A resilient buier 90, preferably of live rubber, as best shown in Fig. 5, is secured in a socket of a supporting member 9|, which has a shank 92 fitting in a socket 93 of a block 94 depending from and secured to the bottom plate 2|0. The inner end 95 of the shank 92 is bevelled and is adapted to engage the end of an adjusting screw 96 which is threaded in the block 94. A screw 91 is secured to the shank 92 and ts in a closed slot formed in the wall of the socket 93 to prevent accidental displacement of the buffer and its support.

The operation of the machine will be obvious from the foregoing description. It will be understood that an upper |00 of a shoe mounted on a last |0| and having a welt |02 stitched at the bottom edge of the upper may be inserted in the machine, as illustrated in Fig. l, with the toe forming plate 3| engaging in the recesses formed at the junction of the upper |00 and the welt |02. The foot lever 86 is then depressed, thus bringing the heel forming assembly forwardly toward the toe plate 3|. The lever 53 may then be operated, serving to move the heel forming plates I0 together in arcuate paths indicated by the arrows, Fig. 4. The pawl 65 will latch the Alever S3 in position and the overthrow of the toggle mechanism including the links 80 and 8| will serve to lock the heel forming assembly in forward position. At those operations the upper of the shoe will be stretched neatly about the last and the upper may be secured in its formed position. In accordance with the usual practice, this may be done by cementing a sole |03 to the welt after having rst inserted a cork insole |04. The shoe then may be removed from the machine. It is obvious, of course, that other methods of securing the upper may be practiced. The sole may be placed over the last and tacks passed through the sole, the upper and into the last.

Flat forming plates have been illustrated and described in this specication and such at plates serve very well for many purposes. It is obvious, however, that plates formed more accurately to the contour of the bottom of the last may be used for more accurate and neater fitting.

I have illustrated the toe forming plate as in one piece and being positioned on the fixed post 29, while the heel forming plates are formed in two sections and movable relative to each other and toward the toe plate. It will be obvious, of course, that the position and arrangement of these elements may be reversed, that is to say, the heel plates and their actuating mechanism may be positioned on a fixed support, and the toe plate mounted on a slide for reciprocation. or a single heel plate may be used and placed on the xed support while the toe plates may be made in two sections and secured to the movable support. In actual practice it has been found, however, that the arrangement illustrated and described is the more satisfactory.

Various other changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of this invention; parts of the invention may be used to advantage without the whole and elements may be used to secure added advantages while utilizing the invention as described in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a lasting machine having a pair of forming members with edges conforming to the contours of the ends of a shoe respectively at its welt seam and adapted to be supported in substantially the same plane, and means for reciprocating one of said members in its plane; a support for the other of said forming members including a frame element, a plate, a pivotal connection between the plate and the frame element, whereby the plate is rotatable in a plane parallel to the plane of said forming members, and an adjustable stop for limiting the extent of such rotation.

2. In a lasting machine having a pair of forming members with edges conforming to the contours of the ends of a shoe respectively at its Welt seam and adapted to be supported in substantially the same plane, and means for reciprocating one of said members in its plane; a support for the other of said forming members including a frame element, a plate, a pivotal connection between the plate and-the frame element whereby the plate is rotatable in a plane parallel to the plane of said forming members, a pair of stops adapted to limit the extent of such rotation in two directions, and means for adjustably positioning said stops.

3. A machine for lasting a pre-welt shoe upper including a frame, horizontal guides on the frame, a slide mounted on the guides, a bracket supported by the frame, a pair of forming members mounted respectively on said slide and said bracket in substantially the same plane and having edges conforming to the contours of the ends respectively of a completed shoe for which the upper is intended at its welt seam, and mechanism including a toggle device operable to a predetermined position, having a connection with the slide to cause the slide to reciprocate in the guide substantially to a corresponding predetermined position.

4. A machine for lasting a pre-welt shoe upper including a frame, guides on the frame, a slide mounted on the guides, a pair of forming members mounted repectively on the frame and the slide in substantially the same plane and having edges conforming to the contours of the ends respectively of the completed shoe for which the upper is intended at its welt seam, toggle mechanism including a toggle device operable to a predetermined position, having a connection with the `slide to cause the slide to reciprocate in the guide substantially to a corresponding predetermined position, said toggle device being arranged and adapted to be overthrown and thereby locked when said members are under pressure, and means for breaking the toggle mechanism.

5. A machinexfor lasting a pre-welt shoe upper including a frame, guides on the frame, a. carrier mounted for reciprocation on the guides, rigid forming members mounted on the frame and the carrier respectivelyr in substantially the same plane and having engaging edges conforming to the contours of the ends respectively of a completed shoe for which the upper is intended at its welt seam, a yielding block bumper on the carrier adapted to engage the shoe above the line of engagement of the forming members, and means for adjusting the longitudinal position of the bumper on the carrier.

6. A machine for lasting a pre-welt shoe upper including a frame, a forming member mounted on the frame and having an engaging edge conforming to the contour of the end of a completed shoe for which the upper is intended at its welt seam, a carrier mounted and reciprocable on the frame, said carrier having means engaging the upper being lasted whereby reciprocation of the carrier brings the engaged edge of the upper to the proper form of the completed shoe, a pair of supports mounted on said carrier, rigid forming members iixed respectively on said supports and having edges conforming to the contours of the other end of the shoe at its welt seam, and means for moving said supports toward and from each other in arcuate paths on the carrier whereby said forming members bring the engaged edges of the upper to the proper form of the completed shoe.

7. A machine for lasting a pre-welt shoe upper including a frame, a forming member mounted on the frame and having an engaging edge conforming to the contour of the end of a completed shoe for which the upper is intended at its welt seam, a carrier mounted and reciprocable on the frame and having means engaging the upper being lasted whereby reciprocation of the Ycarrier brings the engaged edge of the upper to the proper form of the completed shoe, a pair of supports mounted on said carrier, rigid forming members having engaging edges conforming to the' contour of the other end of the shoe at its welt seam and fixed respectively on said supports, means for moving said supports toward and from each other in arcuate paths on the carrier whereby the forming members bring the engaged edge of the upper to the proper form of the Completed shoe, and means for locking the supports on the carrier in a selected position.

8. In a device of the kind described, a support, a forming means removably mounted thereon, means for securing said forming means tothe support including a pin having two projections and slidably mounted in the support, said forming means having yan opening Vtherein adapted to receive one projection of the pin, whereby upon depressing the other projection, said lone pro jection will be removed from thefopening in the forming means, and said means may be removed from the support.

9. In a device of the kind described, a support. a forming means slidably mounted thereon, a pin device on the support for maintaining the forming means in position, said device comprising an element having two projections, resilient means urging said device in one direction, an opening in the forming means to receive one of said projections, said one projection being removable from the opening by depressing the other .projection against the spring.

10. A lasting device for pre-welt shoes, including a base, a member movable thereon, forming means on said member and adapted to engage a shoe under construction at the junction of the welt and upper to last the upper over the bottom of the last, an abutment device on said member and adapted to engage a shoe toward the top thereof from said forming means, and yieldable means for moving said movable member into engagement with said shoe.

ll. A lasting device including two relatively movable forming means, each of which is adapted to engage a shoe under construction at the junction of the upper and welt and to force the upper into shape over the bottom of the last, an abutment also adapted to engage the shoe under construction, a movable member upon which said abutment and one of said forming means ,is mounted, and yieldable means for moving said movable member to cause the abutment to engage the shoe, and to force the shoe into engagement with the other forming member.

12. In a bed lasting device, a base, means engaging opposite portions of a shoe being lasted to hold it on the device, one of said means comprise ing a forming member engageable with said shoe at the junction of upper and welt, means movably mounting said forming member on the base, said mounting means including a support, a vertical pivot therefor mounting the support on the base, a stop including a screw engageable between the support and the base for providing a positivelimlt to oscillation of the support about its vertical pivot, a second supporting device mounted on said rst support for swinging about a horizontal axis, and said form-ing member being mounted on said second supporting device.l

13. A bed lasting machine for pre-welt shoes, including a forming member adapted to engage a. portion of the upper being lasted at its junction with the welt, a movable member, an abutment on the movable member, means moving the movable member toward the forming member to substantially a predetermined position, and thereby to force' the welted upper against the forming member so as to last that portion of the upper to the proper completed form, and a second forming member movably mounted on the movable member to engage another portion of the upper at its junction with the welt and by its movement, bring that portion of the upper to completed form.

WILLIAM KAUT'. 

